The Top 10 Sequels That Were Better Than the First Book!

“You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it. That’s why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence.” ― Octavia E. Butler

In a perfect world, every series would get better as it progressed, the author growing as a writer with every book, while tightening and refining their storylines, and deepening their characters. We’ve all read enough to know that that just doesn’t happen with every series; today though, we are celebrating the times that it does.  

Without further ado, based on the combined nominations and votes here on the Discover Sci-Fi blog and the Facebook group, here are the 10 sequels that were better than the first book! 


10. After Worlds Collide by Philip Wyle and Edwin Balmer

“The first book (when worlds collide) was a great read, and kept me intrigued throughout the book. This book was, in my opinion, a step up from the first in the series. Extremely well written, imaginative, and captivating story.” —Spencer Hoadley, Goodreads

If you are into really old-school sci-fi, Philip Wylie and Edwin Balmer’s After Worlds Collide is for you! Published just a year after When Worlds Collide, the story picks up right after the events of that first book.

Earth is destroyed in a collision with the rogue planet Bronson Alpha, with about a year of warning enabling a small group of survivors to build a spacecraft and escape to the rogue planet's moon, Bronson Beta. Filmed, with major changes to the story, as When Worlds Collide (1951).

After Worlds Collide (1934) by Philip Wylie & Edwin Balmer continues the story of When Worlds Collide, with both exploration of Bronson Beta and conflict with other groups of survivors.

Pick up After Worlds Collide here on Amazon


9. Rogue Protocol (Murderbot Diaries Book 3) by Martha Wells

“Murderbot’s emotional development is also fascinating. It’s done slowly and subtly, but the benefit of binging all the novellas in one sitting is the ability to follow the inevitable change as he gets more comfortable with the idea of personhood.” —Nataliya, Goodreads

Who among us wasn’t immediately taken with the rogue SecUnit, Murderbot? Introduced in Martha Wells All Systems Red, Murderbot, the eponymous character of the Murderbot Diaries is an A.I: a rogue SecUnit with a snarky sense of humor and an incredibly—if reluctantly—soft heart. There is plenty heart-pounding action in these books, and as the series progresses, the reader really gets to know Murderbot and gets to witness them grapple with their surprisingly human emotions. This is especially true when Murderbot meets Miki in Rogue Protocol, which may be one of the reasons it stood out among the series as a fan favorite.

Like some of our other selections, you could read this as a standalone, but it’s probably more satisfying to read the series from the beginning. 

Who knew being a heartless killing machine would present so many moral dilemmas?

SciFi’s favorite antisocial A.I. is again on a mission. The case against the too-big-to-fail GrayCris Corporation is floundering, and more importantly, authorities are beginning to ask more questions about where Dr. Mensah’s SecUnit is.

And Murderbot would rather those questions went away. For good.

Pick up Rogue Protocol  here on Amazon.


8. Hell Divers VI: Allegiance (Hell Divers Book 6) by Nicholas Sansbury Smith

“The Hell Divers series has a special place in my heart and it’s rare that six books in an author can not only write exactly what you were hoping but also still surprise you. It’s also rare to have a series that is six books deep and still have as much left to give as this one.  There’s a big Earth and things, especially dangerous things, are good at hiding in the shadows until you least expect them.” —Brian, Brian’s Book Blog 

Nicholas Sansbury Smith’s Hell Divers is yet another series that just gets better the deeper you get into it. Hell Divers VI: Allegiance isn’t the most recent book in the series, but the absolute, non-stop, intensity of both action and setting have made it a fan favorite.

After a long and bloody battle, legendary Hell Diver Xavier Rodriguez reigns as the dutiful but reluctant new king of the islands. Advised by a council of former sky citizens as well as Cazadores, he works to assimilate the two societies peacefully. But not all Cazadores have accepted the new order.

While X tries to ease tensions at home, a rookie team of divers, led by Michael Everhart, returns to the skies in Discovery, formerly the ITC Deliverance. Their mission: to locate other human survivors throughout the world and rescue them. But Michael’s team aren’t the only ones searching for survivors. A gruesome discovery reveals that android defectors continue to hunt humans across the globe. And they may not be the only ones.

In a race against time, the Hell Divers may be the only obstacle to enemies bent on wiping out the final pockets of survivors and extinguishing the human genome forever.

Get your copy of Hell Divers VI: Allegiance here on Amazon.


7Soldier, Ask Not (Childe Cycle #3) by Gordon R. Dickson

“Of all the Childe Cycle novels, this one seems to most fully flesh out the interstellar politics and issues that characterize Dickson's "Childe Cycle" stories. It builds on "The Tactics of Mistake" and "Dorsai" and takes the politics that those two novels create to the next higher level. Happily, this novel does this without bogging down as some of the later Childe Cycle novels do -- this one moves along smartly, and holds the reader's interest, perhaps aided by the fact that it is written in the first person from the protagonist's point of view.” —Roger J. Buffington, Amazon Reviewer

Gordon R. Dickson’s Soldier Ask Not is the third book in his Childe Cycle series, known to many as the Dorsai series. The series is regarded by many as one of the first military sci-fi series; fans of the series often cite the deep philosophical nature of the story as being a major draw and what sets it apart. 

A Hugo Award-winning novel of destiny and revenge. On the sixteen colonized worlds, mankind had changed: men of War on the Dorsai worlds, men of Faith on the Friendly worlds. Jamethon Black, a Friendly, is a true soldier, and a true man of faith. Now he must face a deadly enemy--an enemy whose defeat will forever separate him from the only woman he has ever loved.

Start reading Soldier, Ask Not here on Amazon.


6. Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert

“Messiah might be set in the same glorious universe as the first book, but the perspective is altogether different, askew. In Dune we battled alongside Paul Atreides and the Fremen, fighting the good fight, weaving through the cruelties and political intrigues of an infinitely complex universe. In Dune we helped to build an empire. In Messiah we’re fighting to keep it while not being entirely sure that we’re the good guys anymore.” —Edward Cox 

Frank Herbert’s Dunea longstanding favorite among Discover Sci-Fi readers, is so beloved it recently topped our list of the 10 Most Re-Read Sci-Fi Books. For many, it’s hard to imagine any book could be better than Duneand given readers have been known to express strong feelings about the first book versus the rest of the series, we were a wee bit surprised to see Dune Messiah nominated to our poll.

And yet, dig a little deeper and there are plenty of folks who feel—for a variety of reasons— that Messiah was the stronger book. Maybe not the majority, but enough to see it land in our top 10. 

Dune Messiah continues the story of Paul Atreides, better known—and feared—as the man christened Muad’Dib. As Emperor of the known universe, he possesses more power than a single man was ever meant to wield. Worshipped as a religious icon by the fanatical Fremen, Paul faces the enmity of the political houses he displaced when he assumed the throne—and a conspiracy conducted within his own sphere of influence.

And even as House Atreides begins to crumble around him from the machinations of his enemies, the true threat to Paul comes to his lover, Chani, and the unborn heir to his family’s dynasty…

Grab Dune Messiah here on Amazon.


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5. Uncompromising Honor (Honor Harrington Book 14) by David Weber

Through David Weber’s truly epic military sci-fi series Honor Harrington, exhilarated fans have watched Honor work—and battle—her way up through the military ranks before moving on to a political career. The story is gripping, the heroine badass and for many fans, the deeper into the series they go, the more connected they feel. As the most recent book published in the main series, it's no question why Uncompromising Honor was a fan favorite!

The Solarian League—for hundreds of years they have borne the banner of human civilization. But the bureaucratic Mandarins who rule today’s League are corrupt and looking for scapegoats. They’ve decided the upstart Star Kingdom of Manticore must be annihilated.

Honor Harrington has worn the Star Kingdom’s uniform for half a century. So far, hers has been a voice of caution. But now the Mandarins have committed atrocities such as the galaxy has not known in a thousand years. They have finally killed too many of the people Honor Harrington loves.

Now Honor Harrington is coming for the Solarian League. And Hell is riding in her wake.

Get your copy of Uncompromising Honor here on Amazon.


4. Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card

“...as much as I loved Ender’s Game as a thrilling action-packed YA adventure, I liked Speaker for the Dead even more. This is a more mature, thoughtful, and far-reaching story.” —Kat Hooper, Fantasy Literature

Not too long ago, we asked Discover Sci-Fi Facebook members which they liked better, Ender’s Game or Speaker for the Dead. Between the two, Ender’s Game won out; still, we weren’t entirely surprised to see Speaker nominated, nor to see it make its way to the top 10. While it doesn’t have the flash of Ender’s Game, it is thought-provoking and it's equally gripping. Whether or not you’ve read Ender’s Game, this one is definitely worth checking out.

In the aftermath of his terrible war, Ender Wiggin disappeared, and a powerful voice arose: The Speaker for the Dead, who told the true story of the Bugger War.

Now, long years later, a second alien race has been discovered, but again the aliens' ways are strange and frightening...again, humans die. And it is only the Speaker for the Dead, who is also Ender Wiggin the Xenocide, who has the courage to confront the mystery...and the truth.

Dive into Speaker For the Dead here on Amazon.


3. Ringworld Engineers by Larry Niven

“Ahh, yes. This is much more like it. After a decade of being harassed by fans, Larry Niven caved in and wrote a sequel (which he admits in the introduction he "hadn't the slightest intention" of doing "without [fans'] unsolicited help") to his dazzling yet maddeningly unsatisfying Ringworld. And this time, we get the depth and substance the first book lacked.”—Thomas M. Wagner, SF Reviews

Written almost a decade after Ringworld, Ringworld Engineers benefited maybe not so much from Niven’s maturation as a writer, but from a fine-tuning of his vision of the larger universe in which the book is set and his vision for the Ringworld storyline, specifically.

Over twenty years after returning to Earth from the Ringworld, Louis Wu is kidnapped, along with a warrior kzin named Chmeee, by a Pierson's puppeteer, a brilliant 2-headed alien who calls himself the "Hindmost". The puppeteer hopes to regain status with his fellow citizens by traveling to the Ringworld to bring back treasures. Upon reaching the vast and mysterious Ringworld, Louis and his companions encounter many surprises, including that the Ringworld is unstable. Its billions of inhabitants will die within months if Louis and his companions do not find a way to locate the Control Center of its mysterious builders, the Ringworld engineers, and fix the problem.

Get your copy of Ringworld Engineers here on Amazon.


2. Foundation's Edge by Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov is regarded as one of the best science fiction writers of all-time. He topped the list in our 2019 poll featuring the Top 10 Greatest Sci-Fi Writers, and the Foundation series took first place in the our 2020 list featuring the Top 10 Multi-Book Sci-Fi Series of All Time. 

Foundation’s Edge was written 30 years after FoundationBenefiting from the inevitable growth Asimov made as a writer in the intervening years, many fans of the series have said that Foundation’s Edge feels tighter, and the quality of the writing is what makes it stand above the books of the original trilogy.

You could read Foundation’s Edge without reading the first three books in the Foundation Seriesbut given this is a continuation of the original story it’s probably best to read them before jumping in here (of course, we won’t judge you if you do.)

At last, the costly and bitter war between the two Foundations has come to an end. The scientists of the First Foundation have proved victorious, and now they return to Hari Seldon’s long established plan to build a new Empire on the ruins of the old. But rumors persist that the Second Foundation is not destroyed after all—and that its still-defiant survivors are preparing their revenge. Now two exiled citizens of the Foundation—a renegade Councilman and a doddering historian—set out in search of the mythical planet Earth . . . and proof that the Second Foundation still exists.

Start Foundation's Edge here on Amazon.


1. The White Dragon (Dragonriders of Pern #3) by Anne McCaffrey

“Of the first three novels in the series, The White Dragon is my favorite. I remember as a young teen, waiting for it to come out in my local bookstore and saving my pennies in order to purchase the book. I was not disappointed. Many of the themes that Anne McCaffery developed in her first two novels mature in this one. The dragons take on a new life of their own and become far more interesting as characters instead of being backdrops of the humans who ride them.” —Wendy Van Camp, Luna Station Quarterly

Anne McCaffrey’s award-winning The White Dragon, the third book in the original Dragonriders of Pern trilogy, was initially published as the short story A Time When. The book, a clear favorite of series fans, was the first sci-fi book make the New York Times Hardcover Bestsellers list. While the series as a whole appears frequently on these polls, this is also the second time The White Dragon, specifically, has been honored. The first time was for the Michael Whelan’s incredible cover art, which took first place in our poll on Top 10 Sci-Fi Covers.

Many, maybe even most of the folks reading this will have read the Dragonriders of Pern series, but if you haven’t, you can actually jump right in with this book and come back to the first two later.

Never in the history of Pern has there been a dragon like Ruth. Mocked by other dragons for his small size and pure white color, Ruth is smart, brave, and loyal—qualities that he shares with his rider, the young Lord Jaxom. Unfortunately, Jaxom is also looked down upon by his fellow lords, and by other riders as well. His dreams of joining the dragonriders in defending Pern are dismissed. What else can Jaxom and Ruth do but strike out on their own, pursuing in secret all they are denied? But in doing so, the two friends will find themselves facing a desperate choice—one that will push their bond to the breaking point . . . and threaten the future of Pern itself.

Grab The White Dragon here on Amazon.


And there we have it. The top 10 sequels that were better than the first book! 

Thank you to every one of you who contributed nominations, voted, and participated in the debates around the proposed titles. We couldn't do it without you! 

Want to let us know your thoughts on the list? Feel free to weigh in on the comments here on the blog, or visit us here in our Facebook group and make sure to check out our most recent poll while you're there!

*All book-related copy in this post was pulled from Amazon, Goodreads & Wikipedia, unless otherwise credited.

Time To Decide: What Sci-Fi Sequel Was Better Than the First Book?

We have serious appreciation for authors who start off strong with the opening book in a series and then raise the bar with the next book(s). Lucky for us, there are a lot of them! 

Last week, we asked for your nominations for sci-fi sequels that were remarkably better than the first book in the series. In that first round of voting, you were able to nominate and vote for as many titles as you wanted, but now...

Now, it's time to decide.

We narrowed down the list of your nominations to the ten most voted for, and now it's time to figure out what the best ones are out of this group!

*As alway this list is made up by combining votes from this blog and our Facebook group.  



Time To Decide: What Sci-Fi Sequel Was Better Than the First Book?
 

What Sci-Fi Sequel Was Better Than the First Book?

Ever read an incredible first book in a series only to be even MORE blown away by the second or subsequent books? Whether that first book really was incredible, or just good enough to pique your interest in the rest of the series, what we really want to hear about are the outstanding follow-ups, the ones that took the series to the next level. 

We always kickstart these polls with a few of our own favorites, but we're more interested in yours, so if you don't see your top picks here, add them! You can do that either in the poll below or in our Facebook group. Nominate and vote for as many as you'd like this round; we'll pin you down to one selection next week.




What Sci-Fi Sequels Were Better Than the First Book?
  • Add your answer
 

The Top 10 Sci-Fantasy Books Of All Time!

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic”. —Arthur C. Clarke 

Little did we know how challenging it would be to come up with a consensus on what books contain elements of both science fiction and fantasy!

While some elements of sci-fi and of fantasy are pretty straight forward—aliens, sci-fi; elves, fantasy (for example)—some elements are trickier. Time travel? Generally in the realm of sci-fi,  except when it occurs in a decidedly non-science-y way as in Stephen R. Donaldson's The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant.

Between the blog and the Facebook group, almost 100 of you voted for this selection, placing it near the top in the opening poll, but being solidly fantasy, we didn't advance it. But "the time travel," some may argue.  We felt that considering the time travel happens as a result of the titular character getting smoked by a police car rather than by some feat of science, the time travel too, was an element of fantasy rather than sci-fi. 

We attempted to cull the nominations for the top ten titles that best met the criteria, and this past week, those are the ones you voted on. Still lots of valid debate as to whether those titles met the criteria too; regardless, we have arrived at our top 10! Curious to know which ONE of those was deemed the very best by the Discover Sci-Fi Community?

Without further ado, based on the combined nominations and votes here on the Discover Sci-Fi blog and the Facebook group, here are the 10 most re-read sci-fi books of all-time! 


10. Magic, Inc. by Robert A. Heinlein

Heinlein’s books are regularly nominated to our polls, but this is the first time his science fantasy novella Magic, Inc  has gotten the nod. It was originally published in 1940 under the title "The Devil Makes the Law” and was re-released with another novella in the book Waldo & Magic, Inc. in 1950.

Under the guise of an agency for magicians, Magic, Inc. systematically squeezed out the small independent magicians. Then one businessman stood firm. But one man stands firm. And with the help of an Oxford—educated African shaman and a little old lady adept at black magic, he is willing to take on the demons of Hell to resolve the problem—once and for all!

Pick up Waldo & Magic, Inc. here on Amazon


9. His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman 

Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials is an expansive series that, while written with a younger audience in mind, has captivated adults as well. Start with The Golden Compass if you are new to the series. 

Lyra is rushing to the cold, far North, where witch clans and armored bears rule. North, where the Gobblers take the children they steal—including her friend Roger. North, where her fearsome uncle Asriel is trying to build a bridge to a parallel world.

Can one small girl make a difference in such great and terrible endeavors? This is Lyra: a savage, a schemer, a liar, and as fierce and true a champion as Roger or Asriel could want.

But what Lyra doesn't know is that to help one of them will be to betray the other...

Pick up His Dark Materials  here on Amazon.


8. The Darkover series by Marion Zimmer Bradley

In the comments here and in conversations over in the Discover Sci-Fi Facebook group, this is one of just a few titles nominated that didn’t provoke a lot of disagreement (save the suggestion that it fit only “if you squint hard enough”). 

Marion Zimmer Bradley spoke about the approach she took to writing the Darkover series as “…re-combining old and familiar elements for a fairly routine piece of science-fantasy.” Calling it a “routine piece” doesn’t make it sound very special, but nevertheless, with this approach, she established a huge fanbase and the books remain popular today.

If you’re new to the series, in terms of order, you can take a few different approaches to reading them, but the author suggested reading them in publication order, so why not start with The Planet Savers? Originally published in 1968, it is a slim volume and the first Darkover book published. 

Darkover was experiencing a flare-up of Trailmen's fever, an episodic disease that would decimate the entire human population of Darkover, from the Comyn to the Terrans. The Medical Branch at Terran HQ had the start of a cure, but in order to finish it, they needed Trailmen to come out of their homes in the trees in the Hellers Mountains and donate blood. Only one man on Darkover stood any chance of persuading the Trailmen to help, but he occupied the same body as the doctor capable of doing the medical side of the work, and he was the personality the doctor had utterly suppressed. Even with hypnosis, only one of them could be active at a time, and the solution would need both of them.

Get your copy of The Planet Savers here on Amazon.


7The City and the Stars by Arthur C. Clarke

“Between science fiction and fantasy the line is often blurry. That line is hard and fast when an SF story is firmly grounded in known science. But when a writer ventures far into the future, speculating about the emergence of technologies that bear no recognizable relationship to what is known today about how the universe is organized, it’s difficult to regard the product as anything other than fantasy.” —Mal Warwick 

Do you think this is a slippery slope? It may well be, but it’s the reasoning we used to let the admittedly contentious reader nominated The City and the Stars slide into final round of voting. It would seem that Clarke himself might agree, given the quote at the top of this post—the third of his Three Laws—which more or less echos Warwick’s statement.

Far in the future, Earth’s oceans have evaporated and humanity has all but vanished. The inhabitants of Diaspar believe their domed city is all that remains of an empire that had once conquered the stars. Inside the dome, the citizens live in technological splendor, free from the distractions of aging and disease. Everything is controlled precisely, just as the city’s designers had intended.

But a boy named Alvin, unlike his fellow humans, shows an insatiable—and dangerous—curiosity about the world outside the dome. His questions will send him on a quest to discover the truth about the city and humanity’s history—as well as its future.

Start reading The City and the Stars here on Amazon.


6. Riverworld by Philip Jose Farmer

“Yes, we've gone through the looking-glass here. But it's a rational world we're in, however crazy the above scenario may sound. Our search with Burton is more than a fantasy or science fiction search for the wizard behind the scenes. It becomes a metaphysical search as well, a search for meaning in any of our lives.” —Eric McMillan

Philip Jose Farmer’s Riverworld series allowed him to play with a number of themes as well as a combination of science fiction and fantasy elements. The first book, To Your Scattered Bodies Gofinds the main character awake (after being killed) by the shore of a river. Perhaps more stunning than his own apparent reincarnation, was that of every other being that had ever lived.

Imagine that every human who ever lived, from the earliest Neanderthals to the present, is resurrected after death on the banks of an astonishing and seemingly endless river on an unknown world. They are miraculously provided with food, but with not a clue to the possible meaning of this strange afterlife. And so billions of people from history, and before, must start living again.

Some set sail on the great river questing for the meaning of their resurrection, and to find and confront their mysterious benefactors. On this long journey, we meet Sir Richard Francis Burton, Mark Twain, Odysseus, Cyrano de Bergerac, and many others, most of whom embark upon searches of their own in this huge afterlife.

Grab Riverworld here on Amazon.


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5. The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson

The Eye of the World is the first book in what is a truly epic series. The Eye of the World came out in 1990 and was written by Robert Jordan.  After Jordon died, Brandon Sanderson picked up the torch, writing books twelve through fourteen working from Jordon's notes. 

The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. In the Third Age, an Age of Prophecy, the World and Time themselves hang in the balance. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.

When The Two Rivers is attacked by Trollocs-a savage tribe of half-men, half-beasts- five villagers flee that night into a world they barely imagined, with new dangers waiting in the shadows and in the light.

Get your copy of The Eye of the World here on Amazon.


4. Glory Road by Robert A. Heinlein

Robert A. Heinlein is, of course, one of the masters of the science fiction genre and Glory Road represents a departure of sorts. While science fiction elements exist in the story, Heinlein leans harder into fantasy with this one. 

Glory Road is a science fantasy novel by American writer Robert A. Heinlein, originally serialized in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction (July – September 1963) and published in hardcover the same year. It was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1964.

"ARE YOU A COWARD? This is not for you. We badly need a brave man. He must be 23 to 25 years old, in perfect health, at least six feet tall, weigh about 190 pounds, fluent English, with some French, proficient in all weapons, some knowledge of engineering and mathematics essential, willing to travel, no family or emotional ties, indomitably courageous and handsome of face and figure. Permanent employment, very high pay, glorious adventure, great danger. You must apply in person, rue Dante, Nice, 2me étage, apt. D."

Dive into Glory Road here on Amazon.


3. Honor Harrington by David Weber

David Weber’s Honor Harrington series has shown up on more of our polls than we can count! But one featuring sci-fantasy books? The deciding element here may be telepathy. As with time travel, some authors attempt to offer scientific reasons for telepathic abilities and some don’t. Is this the line we draw as to whether telepathy is a science fiction element or a fantasy element in a given work? We’d love to hear what you think! If you missed out on this one and need to read it before weighing in, start with On Basilisk Station. 

“Honor Harrington in trouble: Having made him look the fool, she's been exiled to Basilisk Station in disgrace and set up for ruin by a superior who hates her. Her demoralized crew blames her for their ship's humiliating posting to an out-of-the-way picket station. The aborigines of the system's only habitable planet are smoking homicide-inducing hallucinogens. Parliament isn't sure it wants to keep the place; the major local industry is smuggling, the merchant cartels want her head; the star-conquering, so-called "Republic" of Haven is Up to Something; and Honor Harrington has a single, over-age light cruiser with an armament that doesn't work to police the entire star system.”

Get your copy of On Basilisk Station here on Amazon.


2. Dune by Frank Herbert

“Even Frank Herbert’s classic science fiction novel Dune could be considered science fantasy. Space travel in Dune is not reliant on some super-advanced technology like an FTL drive. Instead, it’s made possible by a spice called melange, which enables navigators to fold space and makes some takers prescient. Those addicted to it develop completely-blue eyes — a shift not really explained in any scientific way."—Robo♥beat

Many of you protested the inclusion of Frank Herbert's Dune in both the initial and final poll, and we get it! Dune is rarely discussed as fantasy and is touted by some as one of the most influential sci-fi books ever. We think Robo♥beat's logic holds though. What about you? 

When House Atreides is betrayed, the destruction of Paul’s family will set the boy on a journey toward a destiny greater than he could ever have imagined. And as he evolves into the mysterious man known as Muad’Dib, he will bring to fruition humankind’s most ancient and unattainable dream. 

A stunning blend of adventure and mysticism, environmentalism and politics, Dune won the first Nebula Award, shared the Hugo Award, and formed the basis of what is undoubtedly the grandest epic in science fiction.

Start Dune here on Amazon.


1. Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey

"In later interviews with press and fans, Anne McCaffrey would bristle at any attempt to classify her Dragonriders of Pern series as fantasy. Her dragons, she pointed out, were genetically engineered animals ridden by descendants of space explorers, not magical elves. —Mari Ness, tor.com

The above quote is taken from an excellent breakdown on tor.com of the fantasy roots of Anne McCaffrey’s esteemed Dragonriders of Pern series. The later books in the series are indisputably sci-fi, but looking at the series as a whole, it’s impossible not to acknowledge the fantasy elements of the first book, Dragonflight.

To the nobles who live in Benden Weyr, Lessa is nothing but a ragged kitchen girl. For most of her life she has survived by serving those who betrayed her father and took over his lands. Now the time has come for Lessa to shed her disguise—and take back her stolen birthright.

But everything changes when she meets a queen dragon. The bond they share will be deep and last forever. It will protect them when, for the first time in centuries, Lessa’s world is threatened by Thread, an evil substance that falls like rain and destroys everything it touches. Dragons and their Riders once protected the planet from Thread, but there are very few of them left these days. Now brave Lessa must risk her life, and the life of her beloved dragon, to save her beautiful world. 

Grab Dragonflight here on Amazon.


And there we have it. The top 10 sci-fantasy books of all time! Did your favorite make the list? Anything you feel was missed? If you were on the fence about one book or another actually meeting the criteria for the poll, are you swayed? 

Thank you to every one of you who contributed nominations, voted, and participated in the debates around the proposed titles. We couldn't do it without you! 

Want to let us know your thoughts on the list? Feel free to weigh in on the comments here on the blog, or visit us here in our Facebook group and make sure to check out our most recent poll while you're there!

*All book-related copy in this post was pulled from Amazon, Goodreads & Wikipedia, unless otherwise credited.

Time to Decide: What Is the Best Sci-Fantasy Book Of All Time?

This poll was more contentious than we anticipated! Considering the fact that for years we have listened in on debates as to whether Frankenstein is sci-fi or fantasy, it shouldn't have come as a surprise that there might be some debate about which titles contain both sci-fi and fantasy elements. If this poll has proved anything, it's that there is a lot of conversation to be had over which elements belong to which genre. Blurred lines aside, as usual, you guys turned in some amazing titles and now... 

Now, it's time to decide.

We narrowed down the list of your nominations to the ten most voted for, and now it's time to figure out what the best ones are out of this group!

*As alway this list is made up by combining votes from this blog and our Facebook group.  



Time to Decide: What Is the Best Sci-Fantasy Book Of All Time?
 

What Are the Best Sci-Fantasy Reads?

Casual fans of the science fiction and fantasy genres might not note the differences between them. While they are indeed quite different, discussions of one often include the other, and they are frequently grouped together on "best of" lists across the internet. For the most part, we stick to science fiction here, but because there are so many great books out there that combine elements of both, we thought that this week we'd put out a call for your sci-fantasy favorites!

As usual, we've kick-started this week's poll with some of the sci-fantasy books we here at Discover Sci-Fi love, but we want to hear yours! Don't see your favorite(s) here? Add them! You can do that either here or in our Facebook group. Nominate and vote for as many as you'd like this round; we'll pin you down to one selection next week.



What Are the Best Sci-Fantasy Reads?
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The Top 10 Most Re-Read Sci-Fi Books!

"Any book 40 people will read more than once deserves a spot on your TBR list." —Jed Lilly, DSF Reader

We couldn't agree more, Jed! There are countless worthy sci-fi books published every year, more than we could possibly hope to read, so a book has to be pretty damn special for it to compete with the sense of possibility that comes with a shiny new read. We wanted to know: what books are so special they deserve to be read over and over?

We asked, and as always, you delivered. Of the hundreds of books nominated in the first round of voting, these were the ones the members of the Discover Sci-Fi Community reread the most. But which one of these ten was THE most re-read?

Without further ado, based on the combined nominations and votes here on the Discover Sci-Fi blog and the Facebook group, here are the 10 most re-read sci-fi books of all-time! 


10. Ringworld by Larry Niven

“The original Ringworld novel is one of the most enjoyable and influential science fiction books ever written. The book is like those little Russian nesting dolls, with each mystery unfolding only to reveal another. When folks assemble SF top ten lists, this book is often among those selected—SF fans crave a certain sense of wonder in their reading, and this book delivers that by the truckload.” —Alan Brown, tor.com

Alan Brown's words about Larry Niven's Ringworld are echoed by reviewers the world over, both professional and casual alike. There are books on this list that tug at a reader's sense of nostalgia; those that challenge our thinking and grow with us; and some we return to for the pure wonder of them. The latter is where Ringworld really shines, and readers come back to Niven's carefully crafted world again and again to steep in what is truly a feast for the imagination.  

“Winner of both the Hugo and Nebula Awards for Best Novel, Ringworld remains a favorite among science fiction readers.

Louis Wu, accompanied by a young woman with genes for luck, and a captured kzin – a warlike species resembling 8-foot-tall cats -- are taken on a space ship run by a brilliant 2-headed alien called Nessus. Their destination is the Ringworld, an artificially constructed ring with high walls that hold 3 million times the area of Earth. Its origins are shrouded in mystery.”

Pick up Ringworld here on Amazon


9. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

“My copy of this book is tattered. Pieces of the cover are missing. The spine is broken. The pages are yellow. And I won’t trade it for a newer copy until it falls completely to pieces. I just read this book for the 8th time. I read it in elementary and junior high and high school, once every couple of years, just to remind myself that what made me weird could make me strong. I read it in college when I got married younger than most people and wasn’t living on campus, and was viewed as an odd duck by my classmates. I pushed it into the hands of kids I could see myself in when I became a teacher.” —Celeste, Goodreads Review 

Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game is the first book in what is, overall, an excellent series. For those who love space battles, there is a ton of action, but the book is thought provoking, too, raising questions about ethics and the military; and then, there are the characters in all their fleshed out, flawed, relatable glory. No matter what it was you fell in love with upon first read, the book gives you plenty to go back and enjoy. When was the last time you gave this one a read? 

“Is Ender the general Earth needs? But Ender is not the only result of the genetic experiments. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway for almost as long. Ender's two older siblings are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. Between the three of them lie the abilities to remake a world. If, that is, the world survives.”

Pick up Ender's Game  here on Amazon.


8. Honor Harrington Series by David Weber

"Honor Harrington series is an exciting adventure with well written characters. Every time I reread a book I find a thought, a line, or a character that brings on a new thought for me to ponder. I've reread some of the books a few dozen times and it still happens. Good writers write good books. Bravo! Mr. Weber.”  —Carol DeVoss, DSF Facebook Reader Group

Though On Basilisk Station, the first book in the Honorverse, was published almost 30 years ago, relative to the other authors on this list, David Weber could be considered a newcomer. Still, his books easily hold their own against the classics in a way that DSF reader Carol summed up so perfectly. Weber has tapped into our sense of adventure and given us wonderful characters to boot, things that make the series well worth a reread. 

“Honor Harrington in trouble: Having made him look the fool, she's been exiled to Basilisk Station in disgrace and set up for ruin by a superior who hates her. Her demoralized crew blames her for their ship's humiliating posting to an out-of-the-way picket station. The aborigines of the system's only habitable planet are smoking homicide-inducing hallucinogens. Parliament isn't sure it wants to keep the place; the major local industry is smuggling, the merchant cartels want her head; the star-conquering, so-called "Republic" of Haven is Up to Something; and Honor Harrington has a single, over-age light cruiser with an armament that doesn't work to police the entire star system.”

Get your copy of On Basilisk Station here on Amazon.


7Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein

“I was not giving answers. I was trying to shake the reader loose from some preconceptions and induce him to think for himself, along new and fresh lines. In consequence, each reader gets something different out of that book because he himself supplies the answers... It is an invitation to think -- not to believe.” —Robert A. Heinlein

Robert A. Heinlein wrote science fiction that challenged us to question and to reflect, and because of this, it makes perfect sense that his books would find a home on a list of the most reread science fiction: not only does each reader get something different out of the book, but every reader will get something different out of the book at a different time in their life. 

If you’ve read Stranger in a Strange Land, what was your response to it the first time? What about the second? The third? How did your reading of it change through time?

Haven’t read it yet? What are you waiting for?!

“Raised by Martians on Mars, Valentine Michael Smith is a human who has never seen another member of his species. Sent to Earth, he is a stranger who must learn what it is to be a man. But his own beliefs and his powers far exceed the limits of humankind, and as he teaches them about grokking and water-sharing, he also inspires a transformation that will alter Earth’s inhabitants forever…”

Start reading Stranger in a Strange Land here on Amazon.


6. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein

“Approaching the book again, with most of a lifetime between these two reading experiences, I was even more appreciative of Heinlein’s accomplishment. While there are naturally some predictions about technology that haven’t come to pass in the intervening years, the setting feels real and lived-in. The characters are still compelling. But the element that really shines is the politics.” —Alan Brown, tor.com

Robert A. Heinlein’s The Moon is a Harsh Mistressa book which many consider to be the author’s best work, is the second of three titles on this list and because of this, we can’t help but wonder if perhaps Heinlein is the most reread author in all of science fiction. As with the other two selections, reader’s cite, as tor.com's Alan Brown does, the fact that subsequent reads give the reader an entirely different experience, as inevitably we change as readers as we mature. 

“Widely acknowledged as one of Robert A. Heinlein's greatest works, The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress rose from the golden age of science fiction to become an undisputed classic—and a touchstone for the philosophy of personal responsibility and political freedom. A revolution on a lunar penal colony—aided by a self-aware supercomputer—provides the framework for a story of a diverse group of men and women grappling with the ever-changing definitions of humanity, technology, and free will—themes that resonate just as strongly today as they did when the novel was first published.”

Grab The Moon is a Harsh Mistress here on Amazon.


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5. Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein

“…as for re-reads it's hands down Starship Troopers. Heinlein is a master at challenging his readers with ideas outside their comfort zone.” —Mike Smith, DSF Facebook Reader Group

We quoted Heinlein earlier in this post as saying that with his writing, he was inducing the reader to think and reflect. Nothing will do that better than work that, as Mike said, challenges readers. As with other work by Heinlein, and certainly the other two of his titles on this list, the controversial military sci-fi classic Starship Troopers will hit differently at different ages and stages in your life and is definitely worth a read through all of them.

“In Robert A. Heinlein’s controversial Hugo Award-winning bestseller, a recruit of the future goes through the toughest boot camp in the Universe—and into battle against mankind’s most alarming enemy…”

Get your copy of Starship Troopers here on Amazon.


4. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

“The chances of finding out what’s really going on in the universe are so remote, the only thing to do is hang the sense of it and keep yourself occupied.” —Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

It might be harder to find someone who has read Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy once than it would be to find a reader who has enjoyed it many times. It’s a book (and series) that just begs to be reread. Hilarious and irreverent, it is excellent medicine and the perfect book to keep yourself occupied when nothing makes sense. If you have never read it before, read it now, and then be prepared to read it again and again. 

Seconds before Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last fifteen years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor.”

Dive into The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy here on Amazon.


3. Foundation Trilogy by Issac Asimov

Over the years, we have heard from many of you that Issac Asimov’s Foundation Trilogy was the first science fiction you read, or if not that, then then the first you fell in love with. Well, they say you never forget your “first", and in the case of books at least, the experience needn’t be relegated to memory alone; this is a “first” you can revisit as often as you please. With Foundation, it seems many of you have done just that. We can’t say that we blame you. 

“A Thousand year epic, a galactic struggle, a monumental work in the annals of science fiction.

FOUNDATION begins a new chapter in the story of man's future. As the Old Empire crumbles into barbarism throughout the million worlds of the galaxy, Hari Seldon and his band of psychologists must create a new entity, the Foundation-dedicated to art, science, and technology-as the beginning of a new empire.”

Get your copy of Foundation here on Amazon.


2. Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey

"Dragonriders of Pern, its like comfort food.” —Kelly Dennis, DSF Facebook Reader Group

Many in this community will have first discovered Anne McCaffrey’s glorious Dragonriders of Pern when they were young. Lots of you reported reading the series for the first time at 12 or 13, so for many the pull to reread this one is rooted in nostalgia; but the appeal doesn’t end there of course, because the truth is, no matter your age, McCaffrey’s evocative world, filled with sentient dragons, is just plain cool, you know? If you haven’t visited in a while, perhaps it’s time to return?

“On a beautiful world called Pern, an ancient way of life is about to come under attack. Lessa is an outcast survivor—her parents murdered, her birthright stolen—a strong young woman who has never stopped dreaming of revenge. But when an ancient threat reemerges, Lessa will rise—upon the back of a great dragon with whom she shares a telepathic bond more intimate than any human connection. Together, dragon and rider will fly, and Pern will be changed forever.”

Start Dragonriders of Pern here on Amazon.


1. Dune by Frank Herbert

“I couldn’t actually tell you when I became a fan of Dune—I’m sure it happened at some point in my preteen years, but I can’t remember being introduced to it, or what I thought of it at first blush. (Other than ‘wow that’s weird and I love weird things!’) Safe to say, it’s been part of my internal makeup for a while, and I am constantly shoving it off onto strangers, regardless of what they might think of genre fiction. I find it’s an excellent series for rereading because it slips away from me all too easily, like the sand of Arrakis shifting beneath my feet.” —Emmet Asher-Perrin, tor.com

As with so many books classified as “genre fiction” Frank Herbert Dune is a highly entertaining read, but the book’s appeal doesn’t end with its entertainment value, and the pure entertainment of it might not even be what draws many readers back, over and over.

"Dune" was such a complete societal and religious treatise to me. And no matter what age I've been when I've re-read it, I always get a different lesson each time - Ziggy, DSF Facebook Reader Group

Ziggy put to words what so many of us feel about Dune, that each and every read reveals something new, or rather, that as we age and our perspectives shift (“like the sand of Arrakis”) we relate to the material in a different way. It’s a beautiful thing, really. 

When House Atreides is betrayed, the destruction of Paul’s family will set the boy on a journey toward a destiny greater than he could ever have imagined. And as he evolves into the mysterious man known as Muad’Dib, he will bring to fruition humankind’s most ancient and unattainable dream. 

A stunning blend of adventure and mysticism, environmentalism and politics, Dune won the first Nebula Award, shared the Hugo Award, and formed the basis of what is undoubtedly the grandest epic in science fiction.

Grab Dune here on Amazon.


And there we have it. The top 10 most reread sci-fi books! Did your favorite make the list? Anything you feel was missed?

Thank you to every one of you who contributed nominations and turned out to vote for your favorites in this poll and in and all the others we did over the course of the year as well: We couldn't do it without you! 

Want to let us know your thoughts on the list? Feel free to weigh in on the comments here on the blog, or visit us here in our Facebook group and make sure to check out our most recent poll while you're there!

*All book-related copy in this post was pulled from Amazon, Goodreads & Wikipedia, unless otherwise credited.

Time To Decide: What is the Most Re-Read Sci-Fi Book of All Time?

As much as we love a new read, sometimes the best thing for both the heart and the mind is a date with a well-trodden favorite; the one with the spine so worn it's practically falling off (or maybe it's already long gone.)

Last week, in an effort to uncover the most re-read sci-fi books of all time, we asked you to nominate and vote for your most re-read books. Last week you were able to nominate and vote for as many titles as you wanted, but now...

Now, it's time to decide.

We narrowed down the list of your nominations to the ten most voted for, and now it's time to figure out what the best ones are out of this group!

*As alway this list is made up by combining votes from this blog and our Facebook group.  



Time To Decide: What is the Most Re-Read Sci-Fi Book of All Time?
 

What Are the Most Re-Read Sci-Fi Books?

“To me, re-reading my favorite books is like spending time with my best friends. I’d never be satisfied to limit myself to just one experience each with my favorite people.”—C.S. Lewis

Though there are hundreds, probably thousands of worthy books we will never have the time to read, at least not in this lifetime, many of us love to revisit old favorites. When asked why, readers often respond with something akin to what Lewis said. How many times have you heard a fellow reader say "it's like visiting an old friend?" How many times have you yourself uttered those words?

Last month, a Discover Sci-Fi reader in our Facebook group created a post asking, "what are your most reread science fiction books?" The post generated a lot of great conversation and the thread contained a list of many re-readable titles, and with a lot of those titles repeated, it got us wondering not only what our most reread books are individually, but what are they collectively? What are THE most reread sci-fi books? We figured a poll was a great way to find out!

We've kick-started this week's poll with some of the books we here at Discover Sci-Fi have read and reread (...and reread!) but if you don't see the ones you personally revisit over and over, please add them to the list. You can do that either here or in our Facebook group. Nominate and vote for as many as you'd like this round; we'll pin you down to one selection next week.

 



What Are the Most Re-Read Sci-Fi Books?
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The Top 10 Sci-Fi Books Published in 2020!

“When the world is running down, you make the best of what’s still around.” —Sting

Good advice, Sting. Forevermore, books will be among the best of what is still around, and while there was and will always be old favorites to enjoy, for those looking for something new, 2020 gave us plenty of great books to add to our arsenal of things to keep us afloat through what was a very tumultuous year. Kierkegaard once said, “if one just keeps on walking, everything will be alright.” That might be so, but we like to think the same could be said of reading.

Last week, in the last poll of 2020, the ten titles nominated for our first round of voting advanced to the second round; today, we find out which one of those ten the Discover sci-fi community thought was the very best. Curious to see which book you guys voted as being the best sci-fi book published in 2020? Read on!

Without further ado, based on the combined nominations and votes here on the Discover Sci-Fi blog and the Facebook group, here are your top choices for the best sci-fi book of 2020!  


10To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini

Winner of the 2020 Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Science Fiction, Christopher Paolini’s To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, was a winner with the Discover Sci-Fi community as well. Paolini’s book is captivating and well-written, and rolling in at around 850 pages, it is the perfect length for those looking to get fully immersed in a story without having to commit to a series. 

During a routine survey mission on an uncolonized planet, Kira finds an alien relic. At first she's delighted, but elation turns to terror when the ancient dust around her begins to move.

As war erupts among the stars, Kira is launched into a galaxy-spanning odyssey of discovery and transformation. First contact isn't at all what she imagined, and events push her to the very limits of what it means to be human.

While Kira faces her own horrors, Earth and its colonies stand upon the brink of annihilation. Now, Kira might be humanity's greatest and final hope . . .

Pick up To Sleep in a Sea of Stars here on Amazon


9. Layers of Force by Lindsay Buroker

“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened” —Dr. Seuss 

Bittersweet, this one! We have loved each and every instalment of Lindsay Buroker’s spectacular Star Kingdom series, and while we are more than a little devastated that it’s over Layers of Force was as exciting and unforgettable a conclusion as we could have hoped for. It's no surprise that this one made it on to the list. And as much as we're going to miss Buroker's Star Kingdom universe, we're excited to see what she's got coming next! How about you?

Even though Professor Casmir Dabrowski has been fighting for months to help the kingdom and humanity as a whole, few people in positions of power have appreciated his unorthodox methods. Now he's a captive of the king and being taken back to his home world without his friends or the crushers he relies upon to protect him. The king believes Casmir is responsible for the prince’s death and plans to have him publicly executed.

But bigger troubles are brewing for the Star Kingdom, and Casmir may once again be needed to find a creative solution to save his people—and reshape the entire future of the Twelve Systems.

First, he’s got to escape and survive. No easy feat for a man stripped of his allies and marked as a rebel and a traitor.

Ready to say goodbye? Pick up Layers of Force here on Amazon.


8. Junkyard Spaceship (Junkyard Pirate Book 3) by Jamie McFarlane

If you are looking for a fun, high-action story, well told, Jamie McFarlane’s Junkyard Spaceship is the ticket! This is the third book in the Junkyard Pirate series featuring the curmudgeonly but heroic vet, Albert Jenkins. Haven’t read this one yet? Start at the beginning with book one, Junkyard Pirate, but if you are all caught up, dive in here! 

When aliens threaten his country, one grumpy old vet will take the fight to the stars.

Albert Jenkins would like nothing more than to putter around his junkyard, selling parts and working on old cars. When an alien spacecraft is shot down by US Air Defense and crash lands on his newly rebuilt home, he’s dragged back into the fight of his life. Lightyears away, a war for the control of Earth looms and humanity’s freedom hangs in the balance. Previously kicked off Earth, the Korgul are back and they are willing to destroy any who stand in their way.

To join the action, AJ lacks just one thing, a spaceship. With only a junkyard full of old parts, he’ll need help to get his plan off the ground. Fortunately, he’s got a plucky, pop culture loving, nano-sized symbiote who’s managed to roll back the damages of eighty years of hard living. With dogged determination he’ll repurpose an old, reclaimed shuttle and build a spaceship so he can join the fight one more time

Get your copy of Junkyard Spaceship here on Amazon.


7Network Effect by Martha Wells

Those of us who can’t get enough of Martha Wells’s Murderbot Diaries series were in for a treat this year with the release of Network Effect, the first full-length novel in the series. Clearly we were not alone in our excitement as it seems many of you in the Discover Sci-Fi community were taken with it as well! 

While not at all short on conflict or action, these books are humorous and were something of a comfort read in the dark year that was 2020. If you haven’t read the novellas, fear not! You should read them, but you needn’t do so before you read this one, so if you'd like, feel free to jump right in here. 

I’m usually alone in my head, and that’s where 90 plus percent of my problems are.

When Murderbot's human associates (not friends, never friends) are captured and another not-friend from its past requires urgent assistance, Murderbot must choose between inertia and drastic action.

Drastic action it is, then.

Start reading Network Effect here on Amazon.


6. CyberSpace by Matthew Mather

CyberSpace is the long awaited and HIGHLY anticipated follow-up to Matthew Mather’s absolutely chilling techno thriller, CyberStorm. After seven years, it was everything we could have hoped for and definitely worthy of a spot on any top ten list for 2020! 

While CyberStorm works as a standalone, CyberSpace relies on readers having read CyberStorm so if you have read CyberStorm already, feel free to dive right in with CyberSpace

After long years apart, Mike Mitchell is reunited with old friends on a fishing trip in New Orleans. He brings his son Luke, now eight years old, while his wife Lauren attends a business meeting in Hong Kong.

Suddenly, worldwide GPS signal goes out. Cell phones stop working. Communications go down. Within hours, almost all international borders are closed as conflict spreads around the globe.

Thousands of planes are stranded in the air as Mike discovers that his wife took an overnight flight from China to Washington that morning. With satellites falling from the sky and rolling blackouts sweeping the nation, Mike must fight his way across the country in a desperate race to save his family.

But this is only the beginning as the shocking truth comes out, in a new generation of warfare that will forever change the world...

Grab CyberSpace here on Amazon.


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5. Brushfire by Craig Alanson

Craig Alanson managed to outdo himself yet again with Brushfire, the 11th book in Expeditionary Force, a series that seems to get better and better with each instalment. As you might expect from one of Alanson’s books, Brushfire is full of action and plenty of humor—the perfect escape for when the world is getting you down. If you are new to the series, this is not the place to start. Definitely go back and read Columbus Day and all the books in between, but if you are a fan of the series and somehow you missed this release, you should pick it up ASAP! 

Peacetime can be a rough adjustment for the battle-hardened Merry Band of Pirates.

Especially when aliens don’t get the memo that the shooting is over.

Get your copy of Brushfire here on Amazon.


4. The Last Emperox by John Scalzi

Two years. It’s not really that long in the grand scheme of things, but when you’re waiting for the last book in a thrill-ride of a sci-fi trilogy, it can feel like a lifetime. Consuming Fire had us aching for the next instalment, and when it came this spring, it did not disappoint.

The Last Emperox, the final book in John Scalzi’s much lauded The Interdependency series, does sweet justice to what is a truly excellent story. Definitely add this award winner to your list if you haven’t already read it. 

Emperox Grayland II has finally wrested control of her empire from those who oppose her and who deny the reality of this collapse. But “control” is a slippery thing, and even as Grayland strives to save as many of her people form impoverished isolation, the forces opposing her rule will make a final, desperate push to topple her from her throne and power, by any means necessary. Grayland and her thinning list of allies must use every tool at their disposal to save themselves, and all of humanity. And yet it may not be enough.

Will Grayland become the savior of her civilization . . . or the last emperox to wear the crown?

Dive into The Last Emperox here on Amazon.


3. Sons of War by Nicholas Sansbury Smith

It’s no secret that we are huge fans of Nicholas Sansbury Smith, so when we first heard about his newest series, Sons of War we were stoked! While in 2020 the series premise felt uncomfortably realistic, and so not just a little anxiety provoking, we had to keep in mind that it wouldn’t be a Smith novel if we didn't lose sleep because of it (because of the content, or because we couldn't put it down, either way!).

If you have yet to read Sons of War, expect a fresh, unexplored take on the apocalypse that hits close enough to home that it’ll get your heart racing at every turn, and wide awake until you've turned the last page. This one is definitely not to be missed. 

As open warfare erupts across the states, Salvatore fights his way back to LA, where his son has joined the police in the battle for a city spiraling into anarchy. Family is everything, and the Morettis and Salvatores will do what they must to protect their own. But how far will they go to survive in a new economy where the only currency is violence?

The explosive new Sons of War series is a harrowing and realistic depiction of what a second American Civil War and the aftermath might look like, from former Homeland Security Disaster Mitigation Officer and New York Times bestselling author Nicholas Sansbury Smith.

Get your copy of Sons of War here on Amazon.


2. Iron Prince by Bryce O'Connor and Luke Chmilenko

Iron Prince, the incredible first entry into Bryce O’Connor and Luke Chmilenko’s new Warformed: Stormweaver Series recently took 2nd place in our round up of the best new series of 2020 and now the Discover Sci-Fi community has voted the first book of the series, Iron Prince, into 2nd place in the top 10 for best sci-fi book of 2020! Have you checked it out yet?

At over 1000 pages, Iron Prince is a hefty book, but the incredible, immersive, storytelling will have you hooked and unable to put it it down until you’ve devoured the whole thing. Haven't read it yet? Move it to the top of your list for 2021! 

Reidon Ward will become a god.

He doesn't know it yet, of course. Reidon was born weak, sickly and small. Afflicted with a painful disease and abandoned by his parents because of it, he has had to fight tooth and nail for every minor advantage life has allowed him.

His perseverance has not gone unnoticed, however, and when the most powerful artificial intelligence in human history takes an interest in him, things began to change quickly. Granted a CAD—a Combat Assistance Device—with awful specs but an infinite potential for growth, Reidon finds himself at the bottom of his class at the Galens Institute, one of the top military academies in the Collective. Along with his best friend, Viviana Arada, Reidon will have to start his long climb through the school rankings, and on to the combat tournament circuits that have become humanity's greatest source of excitement and entertainment.

So begins the rise of a god. So begins the ascent of the Stormweaver.

Start Iron Prince, the first book in the Warformed: Stormweaver Series here on Amazon.


1. Inversion: Riven Worlds Book Two (Amaranthe 15) by G.S. Jennsen

Start a conversation about best world-building in sci-fi, “hidden gems,” or addictive and re-readable storylines, and you’ll hear about G.S. Jennsen’s magnificent Amaranthe series. Jennsen has a gift for connecting readers to her characters; you can’t help but to be fully invested in their struggle to triumph over the seemingly impossible challenges they face. It is no surprise that the newest book in the series, Inversion, was voted by you, the Discover Sci-Fi readers, as the top pick in our poll for best sci-fi book of 2020! 

The stories are gritty, the heroes determined, the readers… hooked. How can you not be? This is a truly EPIC series. If you haven’t picked it up yet, you really must. If you’re mostly caught up but haven’t read Inversion yet, grab it ASAP as you’re going to want to read it before Echo Rift: Riven Worlds Book Three (Amaranthe 16) comes out on the 15th of this month!

In Amaranthe, where exotic alien life, AIs, wormholes, indestructible starships and the promise of immortality rule the day, no feat seems out of reach for humanity. But when the worlds of Aurora Rhapsody and Asterion Noir collide and the Rasu horde descends upon them both, more will be asked of heroes past and future. More will be given and more taken, and when the dust settles the very fabric of Amaranthe will be changed forever.

Grab Inversion: Riven Worlds Book 2 (Amaranthe 16) here on Amazon.


And there we have it. The top 10 sci-fi books of 2020! Did your favorite make the list? Anything you feel was missed?

Thank you to every one of you who contributed nominations and turned out to vote for your favorites in this poll and in and all the others we did over the course of the year as well: We couldn't do it without you! 

Want to let us know your thoughts on the list? Feel free to weigh in on the comments here on the blog, or visit us here in our Facebook group and make sure to check out our most recent poll while you're there!

*All book-related copy in this post was pulled from Amazon, Goodreads & Wikipedia, unless otherwise credited.